[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6667424,"mediaKeyId","2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb","parentId",2259983,"title","Nonprofit proposes SHARE food‑recovery pilot for 8 Wake County elementary schools; committee asks staff to finalize MOU and monitor volunteer burden","audioSeconds",2161,"startMs",1985000,"endMs",4146000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb&start=1985&end=4146","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb/thumbnail_1985000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6667424/North-Carolina/Nonprofit-proposes-SHARE-foodrecovery-pilot-for-8-Wake-County-elementary-schools-committee-asks-staff-to-finalize-MOU-and-monitor-volunteer-burden","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667424-fe3fe423e726f7b5db3de1c9b618c5aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775025322&Signature=SbYBvnsUzHUaO-~~CzbSHrlZnlQeE9Jyavab7xNvVU1ynk5p6U4IRGCM-roF0EMwCkkg64xAEApvaz0964F5PmwvyRGPDW14vlfE2iJg28W~t4U3xm9~89fjgm9fI6OKGN688Aa-tHI9YKrYzKBe3JK6qVjY1VXXM1OPW6yKHf39-2GhOjfAwSLTwth7yWAQP7xTwfklmCdTOm8ySqY33S59GghKsGvxsMAKpgVOtUBJ3WtXC6ra6EuOuw7M0e6rU6TatBYANmA4~wtMERO0K78VlwHGwofRUNhZd-xCJqj-KRrD8xfYJGHm1FI5s3DV5~EycvktcNYVaXbzL8p9VA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wake County Schools","date","2025-02-11T21:57:27.653Z","article","A Raleigh nonprofit told the Wake County Public Schools Facilities Committee it has designed a pilot program to recover unopened, prepackaged foods from school cafeterias and redistribute them to students, and staff and board members discussed operational, liability and volunteer issues before moving toward a pilot MOU.

Kathleen Liebowitz, executive director of Toward 0 Waste, introduced the SHARE (Stop Hunger and Restore Earth) food‑recovery concept and said the organization has researched other U.S. school models and North Carolina guidance. Toward 0 Waste proposed an eight‑school pilot that would capture non‑time‑temperature‑control‑for‑safety (non‑TCS) items such as individually packaged snacks, sealed juices, bananas and sealed fruit cups, store them in a rolling refrigerator or pantry cart and make them available to students and staff during the week.

Why it matters: Wake County Public Schools and its Child Nutrition Services (CNS) operate a large meal program. The proposed pilot aims both to reduce landfill waste and to provide food to students who may need it; committee members emphasized the need to avoid creating extra work for teachers or CNS operations staff.

Program design and roles

Toward 0 Waste said the pilot design includes four school roles: a SHARE program administrator (primary school contact), one or more share cart supervisors to oversee the collection cart during meal periods, share stockers to move accepted items to the fridge/pantry after meals, and a share cleaner who reviews and cleans inventory at week’s end. Toward 0 Waste proposed supplying carts, a Clearview refrigerator, signage and program documentation for pilot schools and coordinating volunteers for early rollout assistance.

The nonprofit proposed limiting recovered items to non‑TCS foods per North Carolina health interpretations (for example: packaged snacks, sealed juices, bananas and sealed fruit cups). Toward 0 Waste referenced local pilot data from lunch waste audits at Wiley and Olds elementaries that found 20–35 percent of lunch waste was recoverable food in those audits.

Committee questions and staff concerns

Board members and staff focused on liability, volunteer management and the risk that duties might shift to classroom teachers or CNS employees. \"I want to make sure that it doesn't fall on a teacher to do it when they have other student duties,\" Board member Doctor Taylor said; several members urged that volunteers or a designated PTA role perform the routine tasks and that the district include termination or removal language in any school‑level agreement.

Toward 0 Waste said its board has already signed the memorandum of agreement on the nonprofit side and that the draft MOU has been developed with district staff (the nonprofit said it had been working with Sharon Lynn and others). Toward 0 Waste asked the district to sign the MOU so the pilot can proceed; Wake County staff said they would review the MOU's operational and liability language before signature. Staff also said child nutrition staff will not have a formal role in redistributing donated items because the donation occurs after CNS serves the meal.

Data collection and pilot metrics

Toward 0 Waste proposed volunteer‑assisted data collection to measure the number of items recovered, the number consumed by students, and items donated off‑site or disposed of. The nonprofit proposed a staggered rollout of eight pilot schools over approximately 16 instructional days (two school starts per day), with volunteer presence during the initial school rollout days to train staff and collect data.

Funding and partners

Toward 0 Waste said initial pilot funding comes from the Lonnie and Carol Poole Family Foundation and other private donors. The nonprofit listed potential volunteer and partner organizations (League of Women Voters, North Carolina Composting Council, Capital Area Food Network, local PTAs and others) and said it plans to prioritize parent volunteers and partners it has already vetted for initial rollout.

Outcome and next steps

Committee members expressed general support for piloting the program but asked staff to review and finalize the MOU, ensure individual schools can opt out or terminate participation without jeopardizing the entire pilot, and create controls to prevent the program from shifting sustained duties to teachers or CNS staff. Wake County staff said they were comfortable moving forward with a close review of the MOU and monitoring the pilot's operational impacts; the nonprofit said it is ready to present finalized documents for district signature.

Quotes from the meeting

\"We are only talking about unopened, prepackaged foods as well as the fruits with non‑edible peels,\" Toward 0 Waste program lead Megan said when the group described permitted items.

\"I want to make sure that it doesn't fall on a teacher to do it when they have other student duties,\" Doctor Taylor said, urging robust volunteer support and clear role definitions.

Clarifying details

- Proposed pilot: 8 elementary schools, staggered rollout over ~16 instructional days to allow in‑person support at each school's launch.
- Recoverable food categories: packaged snacks, condiments/utensils, fresh fruit with nonedible peels (bananas emphasized for elementary grades), sealed cold food (juice boxes, sealed fruit cups, shelf‑stable hummus, sealed sandwiches), per North Carolina health guidance limiting recovery of TCS foods.
- Local audit findings: lunch waste audits at Wiley and Olds elementaries found an estimated 20–35% of lunch waste was recoverable food (as reported by Toward 0 Waste).
- Funding: initial pilot supported by Lonnie and Carol Poole Family Foundation and private donors.

What the committee requested going forward

- Finalize and circulate the MOU language so district counsel and staff can confirm liability and operational responsibilities.
- Include an individual‑school registration or termination mechanism so a single school's inability to continue does not end the entire pilot.
- Prioritize parent/PTA volunteers and vetted community partners for early rollout; Toward 0 Waste will coordinate volunteer sign‑ups and initial training materials.
- Collect and report pilot metrics (items recovered, items consumed by students, items donated off‑site, volunteer hours) to staff and board for review before any expansion.

Status: Pilot MOU in draft; Toward 0 Waste's board has signed the nonprofit side; Wake County staff will complete final MOU review before district signature and pilot launch.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-02-11 Facilities and Operations Committee","oneSentenceSummary","A nonprofit proposed an eight‑school SHARE pilot to recover unopened, prepackaged food from Wake County school cafeterias and redistribute it to students; committee members asked staff to finalize the memorandum of agreement and to ensure volunteers — not teachers or CNS staff — shoulder ongoing program duties.","taxTitle","Wake County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14083,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6667429,"Wake County committee narrows school-name choices for two land-bank sites; one name recommended for consent",1681,407000,2088000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb&start=407&end=2088","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb/thumbnail_407000.jpg","/articles/6667429/North-Carolina/Wake-County-committee-narrows-school-name-choices-for-two-land-bank-sites-one-name-recommended-for-consent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667429-ea7289caffd8e63c007def98083bdb6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775025322&Signature=HAkrijIU12fCBCqpYvdgLxrxJcF6pHGvPmp~Ix7g-nRAvGLlNHOmjWpsINGFnhDlmP~0BR8fr7HDlcnXyww7JxqM682p4DfJx8-fmAMsq4imdmAJ6WHg4Y3BGHiDk4lhOymqSSnsb57zzWWbnbs6z1l0BISCkcYZB2wCoxKye4yyNnmFsjxGyyw2XJvCFrOeEPKPVNX~zIT8xMahJiBDc6rD9C~DNKNL3VC~Rz3aNmQNrVGDGCaVP-7m0w51Z~rCWbmX89sVIK~35L0QBOaC1h6WzY8OdmZH5gi57M8soFHf853QgLBdSet-mKx0oHWLKpi69b4XACjZo7rDXY6S4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wake County Public Schools Facilities Committee reviewed staff recommendations for names of two land‑bank elementary school sites and asked staff to take community input before final board action.

Margaret Sutter, director of real estate services for Wake County Public Schools, told the committee the district owns a 35.5‑acre site on Highway 97 near Marshburn Road and Lizard Lick Road intended for a future elementary school and presented four candidate names: Marshburn Road Elementary, Lizard Lick Elementary, Fall Branch Elementary and North Wendell Elementary. Sutter said staff recommended \"Lizard Lick\" and that the district had informed the town of Wendell staff but received neither formal support nor opposition.

The committee also discussed a separate 43‑acre land‑bank site on Old Bond Road in Zebulon (E54). Staff provided three name options for that site — Old Bond Road Elementary, Little Creek Elementary and East Zebulon Elementary — and recommended Little Creek Elementary because it references a nearby stream and avoids potential historical associations linked to the town name, Sutter said.

Why it matters: School names can shape community expectations about student assignment and local identity, and the committee emphasized the need for community input and sensitivity to local history when choosing names.

Committee discussion and next steps

Board members pressed staff on whether naming a school for a road or a community could create confusion about student assignment or local government responsibility. \"Sometimes it creates an expectation that the community owns the school or that municipal government is responsible,\" said Board member Miss Parker (first reference uses affiliation: Wake County Public Schools board member). Sutter and others explained the district's naming policy emphasizes location and geographic features and generally does not name schools after people.

Several board members suggested reducing the set of choices before public outreach. Board member Miss Edmonds proposed narrowing candidates to two for public polling; Miss Clark recommended bringing the committee's recommendation to the full board, publishing the options and allowing public comment between meetings. Multiple members said the district should actively solicit feedback from families in the immediate school area.

Action and status

- For E54 (Old Bond Road, Zebulon) the committee recommended Little Creek Elementary and asked staff to place that recommendation on the consent agenda for the full board, noting the committee considered the choice clear enough to route to consent rather than an action item.

- For E57 (Wendell site) the committee did not pick a final name. Staff's recommendation of Lizard Lick drew both support and concern from members; some members noted the name's association with a reality television show and suggested the district solicit public feedback before making a formal recommendation. The committee directed staff to present the recommended options and public input to the full board at the next meeting (staff mentioned bringing it forward at the board meeting on the 18th but said schedule can change).

- No final board approval was made at this committee meeting; Sutter said staff will prepare the full‑board agenda materials and solicit public comment between committee and board meetings.

Quotations from the meeting

\"Staff recommends Lizard Lick,\" Margaret Sutter said when presenting the Wendell options.

\"I just say not Lizard Lick because that's a whole TV show, a whole other negative connotation with it,\" Board member Miss West said, urging caution about the name's popular associations.

Clarifying details from the presentation

- Wendell site (E57): 35.5 acres; located on Highway 97 at the intersection of Marshburn Road and Lizard Lick Road.
- Zebulon site (E54): about 43 acres on Old Bond Road between Highway 39 and Highway 97 East.
- Staff explained naming policy generally prioritizes road names, geographic features and community identifiers and typically avoids names honoring people.
- Staff told the committee the Wendell parcel drains to Falls Branch and then the Little River; they reported background research on local historical figures and potential links to slavery where relevant.

What comes next

Staff will publish the committee's recommendations and solicit community input before the full board considers formal approval. The committee indicated E54 will be routed to the consent agenda if no further objections arise; E57 will be returned to the full board as an action item after additional public feedback.","Wake County Public Schools facilities committee reviewed naming recommendations for two land‑bank elementary school sites — E57 in Wendell and E54 on Old Bond Road in Zebulon — recommending Little Creek for the Zebulon site and sending Wendell options to the full board for public feedback.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6667419,"Facilities committee hears staffing, transportation and child‑nutrition updates",310,135000,445000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb&start=135&end=445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2259983-74724581ae6fcfd3e0a20adc04062dcb/thumbnail_135000.jpg","/articles/6667419/North-Carolina/Facilities-committee-hears-staffing-transportation-and-childnutrition-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667419-b3fe755143f621e8f24d22499a00dd58/orig.mp4?Expires=1775025322&Signature=TePJoItHX117HJMqnv-GGl~rrz727czd81d3OvXySU0SLMoArwfUEa8tvrbAsQs-N1Kb1qQntdjUzEeOm6dFGOG3OcEOmJd-lGl4mtW~ltvY73-lRsegT8-iiwhA8PwdZkwlayuO22-e8kQYNw58TxXgUUdx-ZudODQytvw-Kiy9~qm7dsExD1zgtSjFZVYOxQggpShFrN5yP3OEguTLM3xdBVVbljYeFItt4H43j21ULXo88blVSGTNb9mnAubk0vwbB71ZeQiMqqdGsUekWXHnhMvKTZrkKtYLRhONhhMI-YVrGhyJs-9vMTfiH42N8DbjPdNY7qe8gO3eGetIEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County facilities staff updated the committee on recruitment, transportation driver counts and personnel changes in Child Nutrition Services.

Facilities or operations staff reported the district currently employs 621 school bus drivers and is recruiting toward a target of at least 630 drivers to support new school openings in the fall. Committee members discussed ongoing recruiting efforts, including a dedicated staff member who follows up with applicants and discussions about internship and pathway programs to build a local pool of qualified candidates for maintenance and transportation positions.

Child Nutrition Services update

Facilities staff announced that Tiffany Lawrence will join Child Nutrition Services as senior director, with a start date of February 24. Staff said CNS personnel are preparing for the transition and have been coordinating with Lawrence prior to her start date.

New staff introductions

Facilities staff introduced two recently hired project managers, Nick Sircher and Hakeem Purnell, who started earlier in the year and were invited to sit in on the committee meeting to observe facilities discussions.

Why it matters: Transportation staffing affects operations and student assignment at the start of the school year; leadership changes in Child Nutrition Services affect district meal program management.

Clarifying details

- Transportation: current driver count 621; district stated a minimum of 630 drivers would be required to maintain current service levels with planned new‑school openings.
- Child Nutrition Services: Tiffany Lawrence named senior director; start date February 24 (as reported by staff).
- New project managers: Nick Sircher and Hakeem Purnell were introduced as recent hires in facilities/project management.

Outcome and next steps

No formal committee action was recorded on these operational updates; staff said recruitment and onboarding efforts will continue and provided committee members the opportunity to ask questions.","Wake County Public Schools facilities staff reported progress on hiring, transportation driver counts and a new senior director for Child Nutrition Services. The committee also introduced two new project managers to observe facilities work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nonprofit proposes SHARE food‑recovery pilot for 8 Wake County elementary schools; committee asks staff to finalize MOU and monitor volunteer burden

Wake County committee narrows school-name choices for two land-bank sites; one name recommended for consent

Facilities committee hears staffing, transportation and child‑nutrition updates